IRS Announces Disaster Tax Relief for Hurricane Irma Victims in the State of Georgia

The IRS is providing help to the victims of Hurricane Irma. Special tax relief and assistance are available to taxpayers in the Presidential Disaster Areas.  The IRS is now offering expanded relief to any area designated by FEMA, as qualifying for either individual assistance or public assistance in the State of Georgia.

Tax Relief for All Georgians Affected by Hurricane Irma

Individuals who reside or have a business in any of the 159 counties in Georgia may qualify for tax relief.

For taxpayers in Georgia, this relief postpones various tax filing and payment deadlines that occurred starting on Sept. 7, 2017. As a result, affected individuals and businesses will have until Jan. 31, 2018, to file returns and pay any taxes that were originally due during this period.

This includes Sept. 15, 2017, and Jan. 16, 2018, deadlines for making quarterly estimated tax payments. For individual tax filers, it also includes 2016 income tax returns that received a tax-filing extension until Oct. 16, 2017. The IRS noted, however, that because tax payments related to these 2016 returns were originally due on April 18, 2017, those payments are not eligible for this relief.

A variety of business tax deadlines are also affected including the Oct. 31 deadline for quarterly payroll and excise tax returns. Businesses with extensions also have the additional time including, among others, calendar-year partnerships whose 2016 extensions ran out on Sept. 15, 2017, and calendar-year tax-exempt organizations whose 2016 extensions run out on Nov. 15, 2017. The disaster relief page has details on other returns, payments and tax-related actions qualifying for the additional time.

In addition, the IRS is waiving late deposit penalties for federal payroll and excise tax deposits normally due during the first 15 days of the disaster period. Check out the disaster relief page for the time periods that apply to each jurisdiction.

If you have any questions, contact your Moore Colson Tax Partner.

For more detailed information, please visit the IRS Disaster Relief Page.